Textile processing sealer



Nov. 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 13, 1965 W K I \T l1.

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Nov. 14, 1967 F. J. JOHNSON 3,352,129

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United States Patent 3,352,129 TEXTILE PROCESSING SEALER Frank J.Johnson, 505 Shoemaker Ave., Jenkintown, Pa. 19046 Filed Sept. 13, 1965,Ser. No. 486,877 3 Claims. (Cl. 685) This invention relates toimprovements in textile and material processing machinery such asdryers, bleachers etc. and has special reference to prior mechanisms ofthe type where knitted goods, fabric, stock or other material isconveyed by feed aprons, feed rolls or other means into a chamber andwhere leakage of heat, air, steam etc. is prevented by a separate meanssuch as water spray, bafile etc. and where separate rolls are requiredto create a pressure squeeze to the material.

The object of my invention is to provide a means by which the aboveoperations can be performed with far less mechanism and fewer parts,thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple means ofincorporating the aforementioned operations into a single compact unit,thereby reducing space requirements and maintenance overhead.

A further object is to provide a means of conveying and deliveringmaterial into and from the process machinery.

A further purpose is to provide a simple positive means of sealing suchmachinery from leakage.

A further purpose of this invention is to provide a simple means ofaccommodating various thicknesses of material.

A still further purpose is to provide a simple means of applying adesired pressure to the material as it is conveyed into the machinery.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention areset forth with particularity in the appended claims.

The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and itsmethod of operation, together with additional objects and advantagesthereof, will best be understood from the following description of aspecific embodiment, when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which like numerals refer to like parts in all figures.

The broader features of my invention are shown in FIGURE 1.

A chamber 13 may be any suitable material processing machine of theprior art, the illustration being intended for a conventionalillustration of any type to which my invention is adapted.

I provide an assembled unit 1 for application to existing materialprocessing machinery, preferably hinging the unit to the feed anddelivery ends of the chamber in position to normally register a materialconveying feed and delivery belt with feed and delivery openings ofchamber.

The unit fastens in place in registry with the chamber by means of asuitable latch or readily loosened mechanism which permits easy accessto the chamber feed or delivery opening.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, in section, illustrating a desirable formof mechanism embodying one form of my invention and showing a partialsection of a material processing chamber 13.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal section taken on line A-A of FIGURE 1, showingside plates 2 and 3 attached to main body and drive shafts 6 and 7.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken on line AA of FIGURE 1, with thecomponents removed in order to better show the concave sealing surfaces1.

3,352,129 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken online B-B of FIGURE 1, showing attachment bolts and driving means.

1 is a main housing. 2 and 3 are side plates, which attach to mainhousing 1 allowing assembly of internal components and containingbearings 4 shown in FIG- URE 1.

Belts 5 have lengthened internal grooves and are rotated by contact withlengthened teeth on cogs 6, which are attached to shafts 7,8 and 9.

The lengthened teeth on cogs 6 permit contact with mating teeth of belts5, as belts are separated or brought closer together when air pressureis induced through intake part a located in side plate 2, which also hasexhaust port b and air pressure gage port 0, which allows control ofpressure to internal surface of belts 5 contacting material enteringhousing 1 at opening d and entering chamber at opening e, FIGURE 1.

Balanced pressure at top of upper belt 5 and bottom of lower belt 5prevents belts from contacting top and lower surfaces of housing 1thereby reducing driving friction.

Increased application of pressure increases sealing effect on surfaces7, FIGURE 3, which are restricted in area to decrease driving frictionand wear on belts 5.

Drive shafts 8 and 9 FIGURE 4 have grooves for air seals 10 and havedriving gears 11 with lengthened teeth mounted outside of side plate 2.Shaft 9 also has mounted to it sprocket 12 which affords externaldriving of belts 5. Lengthened teeth on gears 11 allow tooth contactwhen belts 5 are separated.

The operation of the textile processing sealer attached to a materialdrying machine is as follows:

Material is fed into entrance opening vof the sealer between theconveyor belts. The belts are internally pressurized to a predeterminedair gage reading, creating the desired squeeze to the material, whilesimultaneously contacting the annular surfaces of the sealer.

Escaping heat, air or steam from the entrance opening of the dryercontacts the pliable belts of the sealer and is prevented from leakingpast the belts to the upper and lower sections of the sealer housing.

Contact of the belts with the material prevents leakage between thebelts. Thereby a perfect seal is established while the material is fedinto the dryer. The conveyor belts are furnished with a suitable driveto 0perate.

The sealer functions in like manner to prevent leakage, when attached todelivery end of dryer except that the material feeds from the dryer intothe sealer and the sealer belts operate in the reverse direction.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of myinvention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof arepossible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted, exceptinsofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a processing sealer as described the combination of a housing toenclose mechanism, said housing having entrance and exit openings forunrestricted passage of materials, means for attaching said housing toany material processing machine, said housing having attached thereonside cover plates, said side cover plates provided with shaft bearings,two pair of shafts supported in said bearings, one pair of said shaftsparallel to and above the other pair of said shafts, mounted on each endof said shafts an endless belt conveyor, the lower section of belt ofsaid upper conveyor and the upper section of belt of lower conveyoradjacent to each other, means to drive said shafts and said conveyorbelts, the said housing provided with two internal semi-annular concaveprojected sealing members, said sealing members located to contact eachof said conveyor belts at position of fabric exit from said housing.

2. The combination in a textile processing sealer as described thecombination of a housing to enclose mechanism, said housing havingentrance and exit openings for unrestricted passage of materials, meansfor attaching said housing to any material processing machine, saidhousing having attached thereon side cover plates, said side coverplates provided with shaft bearings, two pair of shafts supported insaid bearings, said shafts having cog members securely mounted thereon,one pair of said shafts parallel to and above the other pair of saidshafts, mounted on each pair of said shafts, an endless belt conveyor,said belts have teeth on inside periphery, said teeth to engage withcogs on said shafts, the lower section of belt of said upper conveyorand the upper section of belt of said lower conveyor adjacent to eachother, means to drive said shafts and said conveyor belts, means toadmit pressurized air in said housing between belts of each of saidconveyors producing a squeeze on fabric being fed between adjacentbelts, the said housing has two internal projected semi-annular concavesealing members, located to contact each of said pair of conveyor beltsat position of fabric exit from said housing.

3. The combination in a textile processing sealer as described of ahousing for enclosing mechanism, .said housing having entrance and exitopenings for unrestricted passage of materials, means for attaching saidhousing to any material processing machine, said housing having attaehedthereon side cover plates, said side cover plates provided with shaftbearings, two pair of shafts supported in said bearings, one pair ofsaid shafts parallel to and above the other pair of said shafts, mountedon each pair of said shafts an endless conveyor belt, the lower sectionof belt of said upper conveyor and the upper section of belt of saidlower conveyor being adjacent to each other, means to drive said shaftsand said conveyor belts, means to admit pressurized air in said housingbetween belts of each said conveyors forcing adjacent belts togetherproducing a squeeze on textile fabric being fed between said adjacentbelts, edges of said conveyor belts are sliding fit against said sideplates of said housing to create an air seal, said housing has twointernal projected semi-annular concave sealing members located tocontact each of said pair of conveyor belts at position of fabric exitfrom said housing, said pressurized air forces said belts against saidsealing members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,873,597 2/1959 Fahringer 6852,986,912. 6/1961 Richeson et al. 685 3,098,260 7/1963 Richeson.3,250,096 5/1966 Iwnicki et a1 68-5 IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A PROCESSING SEALER AS DESCRIBED THE COMBINATION OF A HOUSING TOENCLOSE MECHANISM, SAID HOUSING HAVING ENTRANCE AND EXIT OPENINGS FORUNRESTRICTED PASSAGE OF MATERIALS, MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID HOUSING TOANY MATERIAL PROCESSING MACHINE, SAID HOUSING HAVING ATTACHED THEREONSIDE COVER PLATES, SAID SIDE COVER PLATES PORVIDED WITH SHAFT BEARINGS,TWO PAIR OF SHAFTS SUPPORTED IN SAID BEARINGS, ONE PAIR OF SAID SHAFTSPARALLEL TO AND ABOVE THE OTHER PAIR OF SAID SHAFTS, MOUNTED ON EACH ENDOF SAID SHAFTS AN ENDLESS BELT CONVEYOR, THE LOWER SECTION OF BELT OFSAID UPPER CONVEYOR AND THE UPPER SECTION OF BELT OF